88 TRAVELS ON THE AMAZON. {June, 



cramped, hoping the shower would soon pass over ; but as it 

 did not, and we had turned in without our suppers, I began to 

 feel very hungry. It was pitch-dark, but I groped my way out, 

 fumbled about for some wood, and with an Indian's assistance 

 made up the fire, by which I sat with some palm-leaves over 

 my head, and made a hearty meal of Jacu (a species of Penelope), 

 which had been stewed in the afternoon. When I had finished, I 

 was pretty well soaked ; but to find or put on dry clothes was out 

 of the question, so I again rolled myself up uncomfortably into 

 a ball, and slept pretty well till daybreak, when it had just ceased 

 raining, and a cup of hot coffee set me all right. We then 

 resumed our journey, and this day had great difficulties to en- 

 counter: several sunken logs were passed over with great labour 

 but at last there was a tree fallen over the stream, which the 

 canoe could not possibly pass under, so we had to spend more 

 than an hour cutting it through with axes which we carried for 

 the purpose. About three in the afternoon we reached another 

 stopping-place, and as we did not wish to have a repetition of 

 last night's enjoyment, the Indians set to work making a little 

 sleeping-hut. They had a long way to go for thatch, as there 

 was only one palm-tree about a mile off, and this they cut down 

 to supply us with a roof. 



However, as we took the trouble to make a house, we had 

 fine weather the three days we stayed, and did not want it. 

 While here we had not much success. The hunters killed 

 some deer, large birds, and monkeys, but did not meet with 

 either of those I particularly wanted. Insects also, as at the 

 former station, were very scarce, and though I got several 

 curious small birds, I was not very well satisfied with the 

 success of my expedition. 



Accordingly, alter three days, I set out on my return, the 

 rest of the party proceeding further up into the forest in search 

 of a better hunting-ground. On the second day we again 

 reached the open river, and I much enjoyed the change from 

 the dark forest, the damp foliage and decaying leaves and 

 branches, to the bright sunshine and the blue sky, with the 

 chirping birds and the gay flowers on the banks. Passing an 

 estate of Senhor Calistro's on the opposite side of the river, I 

 went on shore to shoot a large goat-sucker which was sitting 

 on the ground in the sunshine, and succeeded in killing two, 

 which I skinned on cur way to Sao Joze, where we arrived 



